1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer systems, and more particularly but not exclusively to computer networks.
2. Description of the Background Art
As is well known, computers belonging to a computer network may send data to one another. Data may be encapsulated and forwarded to other computers in packets in accordance with a particular protocol. One commonly-used protocol in different network arrangements is the Internet Protocol (IP). A standard “IP” packet includes a header indicating the source and the destination addresses of the packet. Accordingly, each component (e.g., “device,” “agent,” or “appliance”) on the network must have a designated IP address in order to be located for communication with other components.
An appliance is a stand-alone, special purpose network component. Unlike other network components, such as client and server computers, an appliance typically does not have its own display or external I/O peripherals. In the typical deployment of appliances to a network, an IP address would have to be “assigned” to each appliance. As an example, transparent security appliances, such as those used for virus detection and the like, may be coupled to the network by assigning each security appliance its own unique IP address. The IP address would typically be used by each appliance for communication of logs, reports, and/or configuration commands with a designated server employed to manage appliances in the network. However, assigning an IP address to an appliance involves connecting a console cable or a type of module to the appliance, which is generally not convenient. Further, in some network configurations, there may not be an IP address readily available for appliances. In either situation, the “plug-and-play” capability of appliances and similar devices is severely limited.